Golf club



W. C. BUSCH June 5, 1962 GOLF CLUB Filed May 28, 1959 WILLIAM c. BU-SCH BY v ATTO EY a golf club head by holding the golf club head above United States Patent 3,037,775 GOLF CLUB William C. Busch, 410 Second National Bldg, Cincinnati, Ohio Filed May 28, 1959, Ser. No. 816,493 3 Claims. (Cl. 273171) My invention relates to the type of golf clubs that have self contained means for varying the weight of a golf club head or golf ball striking end.

It is an object of my invention to provide a means whereby the weight of a golf club head can be varied automatically as required.

Another object of my invention is to provide a movable means contained in the club to alter the weight of the handle of the golf club.

A further object of my invention is to provide a golf club whereby additional weight can be transferred to or from the head of the golf club head by positioning the glollf, club head above or below the handle of the golf 0 u These and other objects will become apparent in the description and drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of my golf club.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of my golf club with part of the handle and head in section.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of the head in section taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the handle in section taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

In order to more readily illustrate and describe my invention I have shown a putter type golf club head. It is not my intention to limit my invention to this type of club but my invention will be adapted to other clubs such as brassies, drivers and the usual clubs used in the game of golf. Putting on greens surrounding a hole requires the combination of accuracy of force and swing of the club when hitting the golf ball toward and into a cup. The liveliness of the ball while rolling is dependent upon the condition of the green. When the green is lively a light tap will cause the ball to roll freely and many times over shoot the cup. For a lively green there is a tendency to restrain the swing of the club and cause the ball to end short of the hole. When the green is slow because of growth or moisture there is a tendency to compensate by pressing and increase the force of the impact on the ball. With my invention the same swing and pressure can be maintained regardless of the variable condition of the greens because the force necessary under either conditions of the green is regulated by varying the weight of the head.

To accomplish my objects, I illustrate a golf club 1 having a handle 2 and a striking head 3 secured each to the other by a shaft 4. The head has a surface 5 for hitting the ball. Internally of the head is a cavity 6 with a plug 7 to seal the end of the cavity and to prevent mercury 8 or other liquids or pellets from leaking out of the club. An open channel 9 in the head connects to a tube 10 with the shaft and terminates in the handle at 12 where the orifice of this tube is blocked by a sliding valve 13. Another channel 14 in the head connects to another tube 15 within the shaft and terminates in the handle and opens into a mercury reservoir 16 above the sliding valve. Fixed to the slide valve is a rod 17 slidably mounted in a bearing 18 in the handle. Secured to the rod is a button 19 for operating the slide valve to open the orifice to the tube 10 through which mercury or other weight varying element is allowed to flow down to the head of the club. The mercury reservoir has a bottom 20 to support a compression spring '21 confined between the bottom and the slide valve. When pressure on the button is released the slide valve will move and automatically close the orifice and stop the flow of the weight varying materials to the head. A shoulder 22 within the reservoir is provided as a stop to limit the upward movement of the slide valve and retain the button in proper relation to a top 23 of the handle. The mercury or weight varying material can flow in either direction in both tubes but the tube 15 serves primarily as an air vent to allow rapid movement of the mercury or other weight varying material to and from the cavity and reservoir. The air vent tube :15 can be dispensed with if desired where larger tubes can be used within the shaft of the handle.

In use the bulk of the mercury may be either in the cavity within the head or in the reservoir of the handle. If a relatively light putt is desired the head of the club is raised above the handle. The button is pressed and the mercury will then flow into the reservoir from the cavity in the head. This causes the head to become perceptibly lighter in weight and decrease the impact on the ball when it is struck by the head. With my club it is possible to develop an almost uniform stroke for any condition of the green. If it is desired to put more weight into the head of the club, the head is held down below the handle. The button is depressed in the handle opening the orifice to tube 10 and allowing mercury to flow into the cavity in the head. In practice it is possible to micromatically control the amount of mercury to the head from a maximum to a minimum amount.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. A golf club comprising a striking head containing a cavity with interconnecting separated channels for admitting and discharging mercury from said cavity, a hollow tubular shaft connected to and retaining the said head on said shaft and said shaft terminating in a hollow handle, a reservoir within said handle for mercury, said reservoir having inlets at upper and lower ends thereof, a sliding valve extending exteriorly of said handle terminating in a button and slidable within said reservoir to open and close said inlet in the lower end of said reservoir, a compression spring confined between the bottom end of said slide valve and the bottom of said reservoir to keep said lower inlet closed against the flow of mercury until depressing pressure is applied to said button on said slide valve, tubular means within said shaft interconnecting said cavity and reservoir for transferring mercury from said cavity through said top inlet into said reservoir, and other tubular means interconnecting said cavity and said lower inlet to said reservoir for transferring mercury from said reservoir to said cavity within said head.

2. A golf club comprising a striking head containing a cavity with interconnecting separated channels for admitting and discharging mercury from said cavity, a hollow tubular shaft connected to and retaining the said head on said shaft and said shaft terminating in a hollow handle, a reservoir within said handle for mercury, said reservoir having inlets at upper and lower ends thereof, a sliding valve extending exteriorly of said handle terminating in a button and slidable within said reservoir to open and close said inlet in the lower end of said reservoir, a compression spring confined between the bottom end of said slide valve and the bottom of said reservoir to keep said lower inlet closed against the flow of mercury until depressing pressure is applied to said button on said slide valve, tubular means within said shaft interconnecting said cavity and reservoir for transferring mercury from said cavity through said top inlet into said reservoir, and other tubular means interconnecting said cavity and said lower inlet to said reservoir for transferfring mercury from said reservoir to said cavity within said head, and said valve means adapted to permit the flow of mercury from said cavity to said reservoir simultaneously through both of said tubular means.

3. A golf club comprising a striking head containing a cavity :with interconnecting separated channels for admitting and discharging mercury from said cavity, a hollow tubular shaft connected to and retaining the said head on said shaft and said shaft terminating in a hollow handle, a reservoir within said handle for mrecury, said reservoir having inlets at upper and lower ends thereof, a sliding .valve extending exteriorly of said handle terminating in a button and slidable within said reservoir to open and close said inlet in the lower end of said reservoir, a compression spring confined between the bottomendof said slide valve and the bottom o f said reservoir to keep said lower inlet closed against the flow 10 cavity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Adams Jan. 17, 1933 Sears Dec. 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1934 

